logo
BBC viewers have days to watch 'genius' series ahead of fourth season

BBC viewers have days to watch 'genius' series ahead of fourth season

Metro10 hours ago
Comedian Diane Morgan's widely praised BBC series Mandy is imminently returning for another batch of chaos.
The Philomena Cunk star, 49, has written, directed and starred in the sitcom where she plays the titular heroine – the 'hapless, jobless Mandy'.
'[Her] daft adventures mostly end in disaster. She's got Big Dreams, but can she actually be bothered?' the show aptly describes itself.
The theme tune? Barry Manilow's Mandy of course!
Each season contains six bite-sized episodes making it the perfect one-week binge in which we see Mandy get up to genuinely bonkers hijinks with Morgan's quintessential flavour of character acting.
Seriously, one episode opens with her stark naked on a table, save for some sushi adorned around her body, followed by a host of businessmen digging into their dinner.
In another, she is entirely convinced she has eaten an old man's dog. Essentially, it's the kind of show that needs to be seen to be believed.
The show also boasts a wild list of guest stars including Maxine Peake, Natalie Cassidy and Shaun Ryder to name a few, if you can believe it.
Over the years it has made a mighty impression on viewers.
'Absolutely loved this show, so silly! Watched it with my mum and we still quote it haha,' Mat W wrote on Rotten Tomatoes.
'Stupid, stupid, stupid, predictable, cliche and utterly childish. Loving every minute of it,' one anonymous user quipped, saying one episode left them 'crying with laughter'.
'Diane Morgan is a comic genius: writer, director, comedienne, actress,' another anonymous user praised in a five-star review.
'The Quirkiness of Mandy is its best feauture. And its running time of 15 minutes works really well. Diane Morgans performance in Mandy is unique and different,' another echoed.
Critics are in agreement.
'It's bold and ludicrous, but economical too. It don't mean a thing. It is, however, a glorious release from all those things that do mean a thing,' The Time shared.
'This was enjoyably escapist comedy, daft for the sake of daftness, and all the more welcome for it,' the Daily Telegraph echoed.
Although the humour may not always land with The Guardian warning it is 'not as tight or laugh out loud funny' and The Independent agreeing it's provokes wry smiles rather than belly laughs.'
An official synopsis for the fourth season reads teases that she'll continue 'to live hand-to-wonky-mouth, cooking up enough dodgy side hustles and trashy cash hacks to hopefully climb up into the squeezed middle and out of the squashed bottom.' More Trending
It adds: 'Constantly harassed, pursued and persecuted by her benefits officer (Tom Basden), Mandy finds solace in her friend Lola's (Michelle Greenidge) salon, drinking in the heady aroma of cheap bleach and Minty Pig nail polish.'
Discussing how she settled on the tone of the show which is apparently based on a woman she met once, she once told The Guardian: 'Most people nowadays are doing downbeat, naturalistic comedy. I wanted to do something mad and silly. I crave silliness.
'A bit of pure escapism. It's turned out much weirder than I imagined. It's quite visual, like a Viz cartoon, but I'm happy with it.'
View More »
Mandy is available to stream on BBC iPlayer. The fourth season arrives on BBC Two and iPlayer on July 21.
Got a story?
If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you.
MORE: BBC staff with authority to cut Bob Vylan livestream were present at Glastonbury
MORE: Gregg Wallace's final MasterChef series should air – his behaviour isn't contestants' fault
MORE: Legendary 70s horror film that was almost never released now streaming completely free
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Antiques Roadshow guest gobsmacked at five-figure necklace almost lost in fire
Antiques Roadshow guest gobsmacked at five-figure necklace almost lost in fire

Daily Mirror

time17 minutes ago

  • Daily Mirror

Antiques Roadshow guest gobsmacked at five-figure necklace almost lost in fire

An Antiques Roadshow expert was left stunned by a stunning and unusual necklace that had been recovered from a house fire. An Antiques Roadshow guest's jaw dropped as she exclaimed "oh my goodness" after learning the staggering worth of her friend's necklace, which narrowly escaped destruction in a house blaze. The BBC programme found itself at Chatham Historic Dockyard, where expert Geoffrey Munn was visibly taken aback by the extraordinary and rare piece. ‌ A glint of excitement shone from Munn as he observed: "A beautifully made wooden presentation box, probably of Hollywood, and for me, there are no prizes for guessing what is within," before delving deeper into conversation. ‌ "There are three pretty little enamel blue eggs. Tell me about them with you." The guest shared how her friend had inherited the necklace, under the impression it was of Russian origin. Munn replied: "Well I think she probably guessed that they were Russian from the lid satin and it is written in cyrillic but it's clearly eligible to enthusiasts of this subject, that it actually says the name of an important Russian jeweller. ‌ "But I'd just like to discuss this in a back to front way and tell you about the eggs which are sky blue enamelled Easter eggs on a necklace. "And they are mounted by tiny, tiny diamond laurels and that's quite important in a way, because in the tradition of jewellery, the colour blue is for love and it's something borrowed, something blue." The expert delved into the symbolism of the necklace, explaining that the small diamond laurels symbolised the Latin phrase "the triumph of love over all". ‌ He elaborated: "So here are the triumphal laurels surmounting the colour blue but there's another message coming across here, because they are Easter eggs. "This is a gift from somebody at Easter in holy Russia, presenting to someone that they love and it's the triumph of love over everything. ‌ "I think it is a triumph, because it's survived in absolutely pristine condition which is wonderful for all kinds of good reasons but let's return to the lid satin once again." Munn then revealed that the jewellery was actually a Faberge piece, prompting the guest to exclaim: "Oh gracious. Oh wonderful." He noted: "And we don't need any explanation beyond that to know that this is by far the most famous goldsmiths workshop that's ever existed, so it's very, very exciting stuff." ‌ Munn further explained that the blue "eggs" were crafted from a silver core, engraved and filled with blue enamel. He added: "And there's a great tradition in Russia to give Easter eggs. In the country, you'd have painted white chicken's eggs to give and in the towns they'd be wooden eggs, perhaps ceramic eggs. "But in this curious, claustrophobic world of the Romanov court and its orbit, only Faberge would do. It's a whiff of pre-Revolutionary Russia. ‌ "And in 1917, catastrophe struck when the Russian Revolution decimated Faberge's empire, leaving it completely destroyed forever," recounted the antiques expert, highlighting the historical impact on the treasured objects. "And so when we see these things coming through, the excitement mounts enormously and mercifully your friend has taken enormous care of it because it's in almost perfect condition and it's kept in this box which signs it like a picture frame." ‌ The specialist then stunned the owner with the valuation: "Your friend has an object which is undoubtedly worth £12,000." Taken aback by the necklace's hefty value, the guest conveyed its sentimental worth after surviving a devastating event: "Oh my goodness! Oh she'd be thrilled to pieces. "Because quite recently she had a big fire at her house and there was quite a lot of things lost and this is one thing that survived." ‌ Munn responded with understanding, hinting at some solace: "Well that's wonderful and maybe it's some small compensation. But how exciting it is to see it here today." Overjoyed by the discovery, the woman reiterated: "It is absolutely wonderful, she'd be thrilled to pieces." The exchange concluded with the expert light-heartedly expressing his own exhilaration: "I'm thrilled to pieces! I'm exhausted now, I don't know about you! Wonderful." Antiques Roadshow is available to watch on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

Anita Manning's age unveiled as Bargain Hunt star was Scotland's 'first female auctioneer'
Anita Manning's age unveiled as Bargain Hunt star was Scotland's 'first female auctioneer'

Daily Record

time37 minutes ago

  • Daily Record

Anita Manning's age unveiled as Bargain Hunt star was Scotland's 'first female auctioneer'

Anita Manning is a familiar face on the BBC, appearing on a number of antiques shows including Bargain Hunt, Flog It! and Antiques Road Trip - but what is known of her life away from TV? Anita Manning, the esteemed Scottish antiques expert and cherished presenter on the BBC daytime series Bargain Hunt, as well as a familiar face on shows such as Flog It! and Antiques Road Trip, has an illustrious career and is hailed as Scotland's first female auctioneer. Her love for antiques was kindled by her father who would take young Anita to auctions in Glasgow, sparking a passion that would shape her professional journey. Her venture into antiques began in the 1970s when she seized an opportunity to work as a buyer, following the purchase of a bed from an Irish dealer. ‌ Despite her thriving career in antiques, Anita's CV also includes various other roles. She studied dance and PE in Aberdeen and Edinburgh and had a spell as a teacher before starting her own family. ‌ With the arrival of her children, Anita shifted her focus back to antiques, immersing herself in the trade of buying and selling furniture nationwide. Her entrepreneurial spirit led to the founding of Great Western Auctions in 1989, which she now operates with her daughter Lala. Fans of Anita on Bargain Hunt are often intrigued about her age, given her lively presence on TV. Born on December 1, 1947, Anita is currently 77 years old and will be celebrating her 78th birthday at the end of this year. Glasgow-born Anita holds her home city close to her heart, evidenced by her decision to base her successful business there. Reflecting on her career, Anita made it clear that she's had a lifelong ardour: "For as long as I can remember I have been passionate about Art, Antiques and Auctions. "The beauty in craftsmanship and design, coupled with the social history of the objects, that I am privileged to handle on a daily basis, has been a continual source of joy. ‌ "The drama and excitement of the auction world has been a most stimulating environment and one I relish being a part of. "Great Western Auctions was established in 1989 by myself and my daughter, Lala. ‌ "Although the company has grown enormously over the last 26 years, we still regard ourselves as a family firm providing a personal experience and dedicated service to our clients." Anita demonstrated her extensive knowledge in the realm of fine arts, particularly noting her expertise in paintings by 20th century Scottish artists, as well as her refined taste in both glass and studio pottery. Delving into her early influences, she disclosed that her passion for collectables was ignited by cherished childhood memories spent admiring the mahogany furniture in her granny's house. Bargain Hunt airs on BBC One on weekdays at 12.15pm

Focus on Gregg Wallace, Glastonbury and Gaza as BBC releases annual report
Focus on Gregg Wallace, Glastonbury and Gaza as BBC releases annual report

Powys County Times

timean hour ago

  • Powys County Times

Focus on Gregg Wallace, Glastonbury and Gaza as BBC releases annual report

The BBC is to face questions on Gregg Wallace, its Glastonbury Festival coverage and the Gaza: How To Survive A Warzone documentary as it prepares to release its 2024/2025 annual report. The corporation will highlight its successes over the past year and disclose the pay of its top talent, but focus is likely to be on a storm of stories about the BBC's shows and coverage of live events. It comes after Ofcom announced it would investigate the BBC's Gaza: How To Survive A Warzone documentary after a review found it had breached the corporation's editorial guidelines on accuracy. The regulator said it had examined the BBC report and would be investigating under its broadcasting code, which states factual programmes 'must not materially mislead the audience'. The programme was removed from BBC iPlayer in February after it emerged that the child narrator, Abdullah, is the son of Ayman Alyazouri, who has worked as Hamas's deputy minister of agriculture. An Ofcom spokesperson said: 'Having examined the BBC's findings, we are launching an investigation under our rule which states that factual programmes must not materially mislead the audience.' The review, conducted by Peter Johnston, the director of editorial complaints and reviews, which is independent of BBC News, said the programme was in breach of accuracy for 'failing to disclose information about the child narrator's father's position within the Hamas-run government'. But the review found no other breaches of editorial guidelines, including breaches of impartiality, and also found no evidence that outside interests 'inappropriately impacted on the programme'. The BBC will also face scrutiny after a total of 45 out of the 83 allegations of misconduct made against former MasterChef presenter Wallace during his time on the show were substantiated, including one allegation of 'unwelcome physical contact', in a report following an investigation into his behaviour. On Monday, Wallace's MasterChef co-host John Torode confirmed he had a standalone allegation of racist language upheld in the same report. He said had 'no recollection of the incident' and was 'shocked and saddened' by the allegation in an Instagram post. In November 2024 the show's production company, Banijay UK, announced Wallace would step away from his role on the BBC cooking show while historical allegations of misconduct were investigated. The report concluded that the 'majority of the substantiated allegations against Mr Wallace related to inappropriate sexual language and humour', adding that 'a smaller number of allegations of other inappropriate language and being in a state of undress were also substantiated'. Also expected to be on the agenda is coverage of Glastonbury, which saw the broadcaster livestream a set by punk duo Bob Vylan, during which singer Bobby Vylan, whose real name is reportedly Pascal Robinson-Foster, led crowds in chants of 'death, death to the IDF (Israel Defence Forces)'. Director-general Tim Davie confirmed on Monday that staff at the festival had the authority to cut the stream Avon and Somerset Police have since launched an investigation into the group's set with the BBC issuing an apology for the live stream, and promising to no longer broadcast live acts they deem 'high risk' as they had with Bob Vylan in a pre-festival assessment. The Ipswich-formed duo, who are completed by drummer Bobbie Vylan, are also being investigated by the Met Police for alleged comments in a video of their performance supporting Iggy Pop at Alexandra Palace in May. In the video, Vylan appears to say: 'Death to every single IDF soldier out there as an agent of terror for Israel. Death to the IDF.' According to reports in The Times, the BBC's director of music Lorna Clarke was among a group of senior staff who have stepped back from their day-to-day roles after the broadcaster's decision to show Bob Vylan's set live. The salary of former Match Of The Day host Gary Lineker is expected to be included in the report, after he left his presenting role early following a social media row after he shared a post about Zionism which featured a depiction of a rat, historically an antisemitic insult. Lineker, who issued an unreserved apology, was the BBC's highest-paid presenter until his departure, with the annual report for 2023/24 showing his salary to be to around £1.35 million a year. The presenter will no longer front the BBC's coverage of the 2026 World Cup or the FA Cup next season, with his final appearance on Match Of The Day at the end of the last Premier League season. It comes as it was announced that Mr Davie and BBC chairman Samir Shah will face questions from MPs over the documentary, Wallace, and its Glastonbury coverage.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store